PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Christian School Board likely will vote today to scrap its high school after a disappointing open house held Friday, said its president.
The open house was held at the school, located at 116 E. Ahlvers Road in Port Angeles, to determine if there are enough parents interested in sending their children to the private high school to justify keeping it open for another year.
While overall attendance was fairly high, few who came were not already involved in the school, said board President Ken Crady.
“All together there were probably 100 people there,” he said. “But to be honest with you, the people we had most hoped to come, the people that hadn’t attended before, we didn’t see much of that.
“And that was of some real concern.”
The high school opened in 1997 and operates in a portion of Independent Bible Church.
The preschool through eighth-grade school, which is at 43 O’Brien Road, is not in danger, Crady has said.
Crady said the high school has seen a steady drop in enrollment over the last two years, which he attributed to the economic recession.
“If you can’t afford it, what are you going to do: food or school?” he said.
In past years, the high school had between 40 and 50 students. This year, enrollment is down to 18.
Crady said four full-time teachers and one part-time teacher are employed at the high school. Since they also teach seventh and eighth grades, it is unknown how many of them would lose their job if the high school is closed, he said.
For more information, visit www.ocsweb.org.
Students and parents campaigning to save the high school have created a Web site, www.studentsandparentsonamission.org.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.